About the bond
On September 15th 2008, the Guilford Board of Education met to discuss recommendations regarding school facilities in the upper grades, specifically Elisabeth C. Adams (grades 7 and 8) and Guilford High School. The following recommendations were made.
1) The Board of Education has directed the Facilities and Finance Subcommitees to prepare a list of the most urgent and cost-effective safety and health repairs to Adams Middle School along with cost estimates with the expectation that they would be included as a question at the time of the operating budget referendum in April 2009.
2) The Board of Education has requested that the Board of Finance and The Board of Selectmen schedule a public referendum on the question of issuing bonds in an amount not to exceed $112,093,550 to build a new high school on the present high school site.
These recommendations were the culmination of four years of work involving the formation of the Community Task Force on School Facilities, which had completed a comprehensive survey of all Guilford School Facilities and presented their findings to the board in February 2008. The work of the CTFSF can be seen at their website.
From March through June the CTFSF made dozens of presentations at school and community organizations with opportunities for questions and the chance to comment on the options presented. Tours of both Adams Middle School and Guilford High School were given during the Spring of 2008.
On July 10, 2008 Guilford Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Forcella gave a workshop presentation to the BOE on the "Impact of Facilities on Learning".
On August 11th 2008 the CTFSF presented their recommendation to the BOE.
Over the course of the summer and into early September the BOE held meetings dedicated specifically to the facilities issues, with two meetings (September 3rd and 8th) devoted to public comment.
The decision on September 15th was unanimous regarding the Middle School recommendation, and 8-1 regarding the recommendation for GHS.
BOE chairman William Bloss made a summary statement regarding the recommendation for a new GHS.
Next Steps
The next steps in the process of addressing the needs and implementing the Board of Education's recommendations will be as follows:
1. The formation of a middle school committee made up of Town Board members and officials, teachers and administrators, and community members to fully investigate and recommend permanent solutions to the building needs of the Adams facility. The Board has stated that this process is not to exceed one year.
2. The generation of a list of the most urgent health and safety repairs needed for Adams and the cost associated with them, to be placed as a referendum item on the budget April 21, 2009.
3. Referendum on the HS tentatively scheduled for late Spring (May or June), 2009.